Piano-forte action



(No Model.)

A. K. HEBARD &.- J. L. GIVEN.

PIANO FORTE ACTION.

Pa/nnted Sept. 20 1881.

1 UNITED STATES PATENr OFFICE.

ALBERT K. HEBARI) AND JOHN L. GIVEN, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

PIANO-FORTE ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,345, dated September 20, 1881,

Application filed February 15, 1681. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT K. HEBARD and JOHN L. GIVEN, both of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Forte Actions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in piano-actions; and it consists in a combination and arrangement of parts embodied in the piano-action illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of a piano-forte action constructed and arranged in accordance therewith.

In the drawings, A represents a pianokey arranged to move upon vertical pins 1) 0 of horizontal rails B G, and, in being depressed, to work against a bent spring, D, which, reacting, raises the kcy to a rest against the under edge of a fixed rail, E.

d is a vertical wire rod, which passes loosely through the key. This rod 4, below the key, has a screw-threaded button-head,f, and above the key it passes through a guide-slot, g, of a stationary rail, F, and at its upper end is hung to the outer end of an arm, h, projecting from the rear side of a vertical lever, G, which at its lower end turns upon a fulcrum-pin, t, of the said rail F, and at its upper end is hung by a pivot, j, to the front end of a horizontal lever orarm, H, arranged to rest upon the upper edge of a stationary rail, I, and to be free to slide across and to lift fromthe same. This horizontal lever H carries at its rear end an upright arm, J, and this, with the lever H, makes the jack of this piano-action. The arm Jis pivoted to the lever H, but it is further fastened by a set-screw, it, and bent spring Z, all in such manner that the turning of the screw in one direction forces the jack-arm against the bent spring I and in the other direction allows the jack-arm to be thrown back under the reaction of the said bent spring, and thus enables the upper end and edge of the jack-arm to be adjusted as desired.

K is the piano-hammer, secured to the end of a stem, at, that is attached to a butt-piece a, turning in a flange, 0, secured. to the front side of a horizontal rail, L, in a vertical plane corresponding with the operat-in gvertical plane of the jack, and in such relation to the upper end of thejack that such end of the jack can pass freely under the lower face, 10, of the heel q of the hammer-butt piece a, and when under the same, if then lifted, it will swing the hammer-head toward and against the string r, and then escape to allow the hammer to return from the string to be caught by the back catch M, and in such escape lie against the front face, 8, of the butt a and rest thereon by its corner edge, t. The hammer when not in action rests against a rail, S, secured in proper position therefor, and is returned after a blow by the reaction of a spring, 9. The back catch M is carriedby the vertical'lever G, and moves forward and backward with it.

N is a cylinder, provided with a series of ribs or flanges, a, which severally run lengthwise of it, and project radially and evenly and otherwise similarly from the'surface of the cylinder. This cylinder is arranged to revolve in a horizontal plane at the rear of the jack, and in such relation thereto that with thejack under the hammer-butt a, the rib of the cylinder then next under the jack in the order of the ribs and in the direction of rotation ofthe cylinder, (which is toward the under side of the jack,) will abut against and lift thejack, and through such lift thereof swing the hammer into contact with its string, and on a continued rotation of the drum will escape from the jack and leave it free to escape from the hammer-butt at the proper time and to rest against the same, as described.

0 is the damper, and 0 its lever, which turns upon a fulcrum at w of the rail L, and below such rail is connected by a horizontal rod, or, to the vertical lever G, to which the jack is connected, as described.

3 is a spiral spring, hung at one end to the damper-lever and at the other end to the stationary rail L. This spring acts to hold the damper in contact with its string, and the lift of the damper from such contact is against such spring, and it occurs with the forward movement of the jack under the hammer-butt.

A depression of the key places the jack J under the hammer-butt n, and then, if the cylinder N be rotated, obviously the pianoham mer K can be made to strike its string, and as often as may be desired, under the operation of the drum upon the jack, as such jack is from time to time placed under the hammerbutt by a depression of the key. As the key is raised the jack, because of the reaction of the spring y, moves from under the hammerbutt.

R is a vertical lever, turning upon a fulcrumpin, a, of the rail F. This lever at its upper end has an adjustable button-head, I), in position to press against the front side of the jack-operating lever G, and at its lower end it is provided with a finger-piece or projection, a, in position to enter into the vertical groove d of a horizontal rail, T.

f is a bent spring applied to lever B and to the rail F in a manner to press the upper end of the lever against the jack-lever G and the lower end into the vertical groove (1.

h is a perforated strip of paper, represented as passing between the finger-piece c of the lever B and the face of the rail T, grooved to receive such finger-piece. The finger-piece rests upon and against the unperforated portions of this paper strip, but enters into the perforations thereof as the same come opposite thereto, and thus, obviously, the jack will be automatically placed under its hammer-butt whenever a perforation of the paper is passing the finger-piece c, and placed out of such position whenever an un perforated port-ion of the paper comes opposite to and while it is passing the finger-piece, and, with the cylinder in rotation, plainly the striking of the string will occur the same as if the key itself had been depressed. The key under this operation of the parts remains stationary; but while an unperforated part of the paper is passing the finger-piece, the mechanism of the action is free on a depression of the key to place the jack under the hammer-butt; but this is not the case when a perforated portion is passing the finger-piece.

Thejack in its position under the hammerbutt, and the position of the other parts ofthe action at such time, together with-the position of the finger-piece lever B when a perforated portion of the paper strip is passing the fingerpiece, are shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1. Fig. 2 shows the jack at its rest against the front face of the hammer-butt, and thus out of the path of revolution of the ribbed cylinder, where it remains so long as a perforated portion of the paper strip is passing. This is essential in either mode of operating the action herein described, whether by the key or a" perforated strip, for otherwise there would be a repeated striking of the hammer so long as the key was depressed or a perforated portion of the paper strip was passing by the finger-piece of the lever.

The winged cylinder N may be driven, and also the passage of the perforated strip may be secured, in any suitable manner, and both from a common driving-shaft properly connected with each other directly, or with the one and through that with the other.

The several parts of the action herein described are to be properly cushioned and bushed to prevent noise, and otherwise are to be constructed in the ordinary modes by adjustment and regulation of movement in rela tion to each other.

The mechanism herein described is to be repeated for each key of a piano, except as to the winged cylinder, one of which, by suitably extending it, may be adapted for the whole range of the keys.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a piano-action, the combination, with a key and a hammer, of a vertical rod, (1, vertical lever G, jack composed of the horizontal lever II and arm J, and winged cylinder N, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. ln a piano-action, the combination of a vertical lever, 1%, arranged and adapted to be operated by a traveling music-sheet, a 11ammer, K, vertical lever G,jack composed of the horizontal lever-II and arm J, and the winged cylinder N, all constructed and arranged to operate as and for the purpose described.

3. In a piano-action, the combination of a vertical lever arranged and adapted to be operated by a traveling music-sheet, the key A, and hammer K, with the vertical rod (2, vertical lever G, jack composed of the horizontal lever H and arm J, and winged cylinder N, all constructed and arranged as described, whereby the jack may be moved either by the Vertical lever B or the key A, to be placed in its operatingposition upon the hammer-butt, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two'subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT K. HEBARD. JOHN L. GIVEN. Witnesses: EDWIN W. BRO N,

WM. S. BELLOWS. 

